Community heroes recognised with award honours

Wakefield District Housing (WDH) held its annual Love Where You Live Awards to recognise tenants, residents and community groups who go the extra mile to make their area better.

And it was a record year with more than 9,000 people casting an online vote for the nominees.

Donna Hyman, from Featherstone, was crowned the respect champion after standing up to her nuisance neighbours.

She made WDH and police aware they were behaving anti-socially and they were later evicted from the property.

Mrs Hyman said: “The award really means a lot. It makes all of the stress and upset that we have gone through worth it.”

Jane Robinson, from South Elmsall, was the winner of the community champion category.

Jane has helped hundreds of families in need across Yorkshire after setting up the Tiny Hands Baby Bank in February and also sent donations to victims of the Manchester terror attack.

She said: “This is a massive achievement for everyone that has contributed by donating, collecting and delivering items.”

Charles Malcolm, of Ossett, grabbed the prize for the best garden whilst Becky Slater was awarded the young achiever accolade.

Mr Malcolm said: “I spend a lot of time in the garden making sure it looks its best and I know it brings a lot of pleasure to people.”

Ms Slater was involved in anti-social behaviour a few years ago but was recognised for turning her life around after joining Raceway Karting in Pontefract.

Smawthorne Welfare Action Team won the community group category, for their work to improve Smawthorne Park in Castleford.

Castleford and Glass Houghton councillor Tony Wallis said: “It is really well deserved.

“It’s great to see people in Castleford and beyond recognising the group’s hard work to make things better for the community.”

The arts and culture award went to Spectrum Children’s Drama Company, which started more than 26 years ago, and gives children the chance to learn theatre skills.

Founder Keith Deal said: “It means the world. The prize will help us to buy some new lighting for our shows.”

Ian Grunshaw, a member of the The Five Towns Stroke Group, said they were “very pleased” to win in the working with older people category.

And a community celebration is being planned in Kirkthorpe after Kirkthorpe Community Group won the digital award for creating WDH’s first ever online residents’ group. The winners each received £200 prize money, courtesy of sponsor Sodexo, in a ceremony at Wakefield’s Cedar Court Hotel.

A raffle was also held on the night, raising nearly £400 for Wakefield Hospice and the Pontefract Prince of Wales Hospice.

WDH’s Chief Executive Kevin Dodd said: “It is important that we celebrate the hard work and dedication that these people put into making their neighbourhoods friendlier, safer and even more enjoyable places to be, and we hope that the prize money they receive will go a long way to helping to continue that work.”